A seasoned and dedicated group of returning seniors - Logan Brown, Brian Ely, C.J. Potter, Jordan Tebbe, Ryan Vanderhorst and Bobby Wiltshire - will provide leadership for the Buccaneers. Logan Brown finished last season with a 50-1 record, placing third at state, and became Covington's first state placer since Craig Vanderhorst in 1984. Ely (35-13), Potter (22-18) and Wiltshire (28-16) are returning district qualifiers while Tebbe (22-9) and Vanderhorst (27-16) are returning sectional placers.
Also returning are juniors Kyle Chalmers and Ryan White, a sectional placer, and sophomores Logan Hall, Justin McMillion and Jacob Wise. A number of former wrestlers return to the team this season, including seniors Josh Mahan and Ritchie Watkins, a sectional placer, and juniors Michael Corkhum and Justin Mahan. New to the team are senior Nick Christian, juniors Arliss Clark, Luke Steele and Travis Wamer, and freshmen Reggie Clark, Sam Herron, Jake Jennings, Quentin Layman, Jesse Pearson and Cody Swabb.
The talented and experienced senior class will lead this year's team through a very rigorous schedule that includes many of the top teams in the state. The Buccs will return to the challenging GMVWA Holiday Tournament which fields forty-five teams including thirty-five Division I and II squads. The Buccs will also dual a number of local wrestling powers including Troy, Versailles, Miami East and Dixie.
In Cross County Conference action, league bragging rights will likely be decided in the Bucc's dual with Tri-County North, a team that also returns a strong line-up from last season.
Covington will host home duals versus Twin Valley South and National Trail, as well as Lehman. Additionally, the sectional tournament will once again be held at Covington High School.